TAKE FIVE
TAKE FIVE Eating Britain: The World On Your Plate by Judith Schrut
Chef Sharma of Grand Trunk Road and his sensational sorbet
In Britain, you needn’t travel far to taste the world. Whether you’ve been here a week, a year or a lifetime, you can’t help but notice what an incredibly multicultural place this is. London, for example, is the most culturally diverse city on earth, with more than 270 nationalities and 340 different languages present. And it’s often said this diversity is what makes eating in Britain great. That’s because wherever folk go, their food goes with them. A back-of-an-envelope survey of our local high street, in a typical North London suburb, found a smorgasbord of delis, bakeries, groceries, cafés and restaurants representing over 40 different cuisines, from Persian to Polish, Indian to Italian, Mongolian to Moroccan, and every nationality and food fusion in between. So, living here is a fantastic opportunity to sample the world on your plate, to become a global gourmet, to take a front row seat in an astonishing theatre of food. Here’s a Take Five taste of what’s on offer.
1. Flavours of India: Grand Trunk Road Restaurant, South Woodford
Any reputable look at Britain’s culinary habits would be incomplete if it didn’t mention Indian food. Year after year, Indian cuisine tops the nation’s favourite food polls. Chicken tikka masala is commonly referred to as Britain’s national dish while bhajis, baltis and biryanis are all hugely popular. WWW.THEAMERICANHOUR.COM
Chef Sharma’s plump, mouthwatering grilled scallops
How did Britain get the hots for curries? The British love of Indian food dates back to the 19th century days of the British Raj. British colonials adored their curries and pined for them on return to the UK. Even Queen Victoria employed a personal Indian chef. In 1809, customers at Britain’s first Indian restaurant reclined on comfy sofas while enjoying their spicy meat and veg. Today we have over 8,000 Indian eateries, with more in London than in Mumbai. As a young boy growing up in India, Dayashankar Sharma, Executive Chef of Grand Trunk Road Restaurant, spent many happy days at his mother’s side in the family kitchen. He watched, smelled, tasted and practised on little bits of dough she would give him to play with. As he grew older, he began looking at his mother’s cooking in a different way– wondering what might happen if he added this spice or that flavouring. After graduating college and deciding not to become a doctor, Chef Sharma asked himself, “what else can I do ... I can cook!”. And so began a lifetime devoted to creating imaginative, authentic, memorably delicious Indian cuisine from the freshest and finest ingredients. He’s headed up kitchens at some of the world’s top Indian restaurants including London’s Imli Street, Zaika and Michelin-starred Tamarind, served as Indian food consultant for major international airlines, devised a prizewinning chicken tikka masala and was personal chef to India’s Prime Minister. Fast forward to 2020 and Chef Sharma is
completely at ease in Grand Trunk Road’s small but perfectly formed kitchen in northeast London. In partnership with acclaimed restaurateur and longtime colleague Rajesh Suri, GTR opened in 2017 with the single goal of creating 100% authentic Indian food. The restaurant has been named Asian Curry Awards best Indian restaurant in London for the second year running. But for Messrs Suri and Sharma, aka ‘the dynamic duo’, the most meaningful reward is customer appreciation. And GTR gets that in bucketloads. The original Grand Trunk Road is an ancient trade route. It’s Asia’s longest road, built for 16th century traders, stretching 2500 kilometers from Kabul to Kolkata (Calcutta). Before setting up GTR, Rajesh Suri and Chef Sharma took to that very road for six weeks, immersing themselves in its vibrant sights, sounds, smells and flavours. Every aspect of their restaurant has been thoughtfully, caringly put together– the contemporary design, tables set with flowers, linen and candles, flawless hospitality and service, and most of all the outstanding food and drink. Whether choosing fish, meat, vegetables or spices, Chef Sharma is passionate about sourcing only top quality ingredients, from local suppliers wherever possible. GTR’s menu is simply beautiful. We had a chance to try several unforgettable dishes. The Delhi Ki Chaat starter delivered toothsome bursts of spicy chickpeas, sweet yoghurt, wheat and lotus root crisps, WWW.AMERICANINBRITAIN.CO.UK
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